Social media makes it so easy for us to look into other people's lives longingly, wishing we too were on that white-sand beach holiday, or that we had the doting boyfriend who appears in dreamy soft focus snaps, holding hands or writing love messages on the mirror.
Instagram and Facebook give us a constant highlight reel of the perfect moments in other people's lives.
And, as the veil slips (and it is slipping) we get to see through sometimes to the less conventionally 'pretty', but often refreshing and beautifully honest truth of a situation.
Be it a clever pose, or the reality of sponsorship deal, things are often not what they may seem.
And this extends all the way to those couple snaps you see everywhere.
This study, based on couple-interactions on Facebook only, showed that the less content a pair were in a relationship, the more they posted.
Now, it's not to say there's anything wrong with being proud of your other half. Having a little show-off sometimes is fine and if you hang out a lot, they are going to be in your pictures, obviously!
It has also been found that 'individuals in relationships that are 'Facebook official' report being in more committed, stronger relationships than non-Facebook official counterparts.'
That being said, people who are in truly comfortable and fulfilling relationships have been found to be 'less visible' on Facebook.
Firstly, we already know that any social media, in excess, can lead to depression and anxiety.
The constant ability to compare your life to the lives of other people can leave you feeling less than great.
Whereas, if you're enjoying your life, you're likely to be doing exactly that: getting lost in the moments of fun and forgetting to update your cyber friends about it.
Social posting is seductive, but it lures you into a cycle of validation, whereby a situation's worth is determined by how many other people took notice of it.
If that logic holds up, then your relationship's value is predicated on the number of times external influencers like or engage with it on the internet.
The study is called, 'Can You Tell That I'm in a Relationship? Attachment and Relationship Visibility on Facebook' was carried out by Lydia F. Emery, Amy Muise, Emily L. Dix, and Benjamin Le.
It concluded that, 'On a daily basis, when people felt more insecure about their partner's feelings, they tended to make their relationships visible [on Facebook].'
This isn't an opportunity to name and shame other couples for being dissatisfied, we all know the relationships looks a hell of a lot different from the inside.
But it may be worth looking at your own social media postings to see if you're overcompensating for a less-than-ideal romance.
Or conversely, whether your romantic engagement might benefit from less of the pressure to gain traction or positive reinforcement from people who aren't actually in bed with you.
Daisy Murray is the Digital Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, spotlighting emerging designers, sustainable shopping, and celebrity style. Since joining in 2016 as an editorial intern, Daisy has run the gamut of fashion journalism - interviewing Molly Goddard backstage at London Fashion Week, investigating the power of androgynous dressing and celebrating the joys of vintage shopping.
